Beverage mixing machine



Oct. 30, 1951 .1, KANTOR 2,573,339

BEVERAGE MIXING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 30, 1951 J. KANTQR BEVERAGE MIXING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1947 INVENTOR.

James Kan for ZA i M ATTORNEY.

Oct. 30, 1951 J. KANTOR BEVERAGE MIXING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1947 s Sheeiis-Sheet 3 \FJ I5 I (Ira/7: es Kan for zzzz m ATTORNEY:

Patented Oct. 30, 1951 V RAGE MACHINE James, Kantor, Chicago, 11]., .assignor to .The Liquid Carbonic Qorporation, ,Qhic g 11 a corporation of Delaware Ap ca io J1me 1 1$ i@1-N-" 2 368 4.,Qlaims. (c1. 25.9-ri5fl) The present invention relates to mixing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for mixing beverages, such as carbonated so it'drinks, in the individual containers in which they are sold.

The invention relates particularly to that type of apparatus, wherein the'sealed container-is received by a suitable clamping support and then during its rotative path of movement, inverted, and .while inverted, rapidly spun on its axis in order that the syrup and carbonated water-in the container may be thoroughly mixed.

More particularly, the apparatus to whichmy invention is particularly directed, provides a rapidly rotating spinner disk located beneaththe platform carrying the container holders, frictionally engaged by a spinner roller driving the bottle-support, when the bottle support is moved to its inverted position.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide means whereby the contact of the spinner disk and the spinner roller may be regulated, so that while gravity maintains thedriving contact between these parts, this contact will not be so great as'to cause undue wear between the spinner disk and the spinner roller and there will be no tendency to flatten the spinner disk, when it comes in-contact with the spinnerroller.

Another objectof my invention-'isthe provision of means whereby-the drive for effecting the operationof theout-andinfeed star wheels maybe automatically lubricated'and a lubricating means which will require a minimum of attentionon the part of the operator. Other-objectsand advantages of my invention will appear morefully hereinafter in the appended specificationand claims.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown one embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of the rotating head supporting the bottle holders and associated mechanism;

Fig.2 is a plan View of so much ofthe apparatus as is necessary for showing :the drive .of the in and outfeed stars;

Fig. 3 is a detailelevation, partly is section, showing-the adjustable stop mechanism for limiting the downthrow of the container holders;

Fig. .4 is a detailelevation, showing themeans for lubricating the spinnervroller; and

Fig.5 is adetail section,.showing the means for lubricating-the in andoutfeedstar'wheel chain drive.

In general, the spinning and inverting; mechamsn: is substantiallyzth cam ras thatillustrated inithe patent granted tome on July 21, 19.42, No. 2,290,562, and reference may be had .to said patent fordetails of construction of the spinning mechanism, not specifically illustrated and described in the present application.

Referring to the structure illustrated, the inverting and spinning mechanism comprises a rotating :turret .or platform .i .on which are mounted a plurality of bottle holders .2. Each of these bottle .holders comprises .a rotating sup,- ports3 journalled in a bearing .or sleeve 4, which bearing ;is provided with a yoke i5 pivoted on a shaft Iicarried on the turret .l. ,Aclamping head 1 is mounted on a spring retra ted p s s ported in .asleeve B likewise mounted on ,a yoke 5 and th lower end f the po i p ovide w h roll r .10 adapt d duri th in ee pe iod t en age .-.a s itable cam I'I ationa ily mounted on .a cov rplat LZ- A ar sulto t i en a e.- ment, thepclainp ;'i is raised sufficiently to permit in thi instanc t t l to R move 1 h plat orm additiQ to incidents opera in roller In. the-b a in sl v .4 i rm d d w t a le 1. aeapte t t on e t,duflea h ota v m emen of the turret I, a suitable cam 1,4 which, during the inand outfeed positions 7 of thebottlesupport, ma ta t e b e sup rt .i 'a up i ht qs ti n but Wh ch-.cli suqh xten as idp m h rbqt e sup o t .m e romi nri ipq ition, shown to the left of Fig. :1, to its inverted position, shown at the right of Fig. 1.

'Thelrotatingshatt L5, on whichbottlesupport 3 i .m il t di i pr i ed with s n 1 1 H whi h .z n t bottl i m ed i n t d po ition com n co ta i he w nne W ee IJ driven at a relatively high rate of speed hrque h medium o a ri i me e .lBei Q a ea id conn ct on I a 111914 19 th r ults q acc mplishin th ve betw n th driv n rwh eli ec ihesp n 9 15 ar complished when the driving wheel ,I I is formed of rnetal, such -for instance as cast ,iron, steel or h al kean the s n 1 :t i iie mes Q moa leasthes a n ormed-drast ma .r I'har i ewis m n t a t emel effie ti e esult r c om e when th .p1ai t ma m1'somprises .a pla t 1 mat ria commonl iden ified; a

eo ren .hav ne m xed the e around .0

Rep at d .i rer msnt ha s ew th a 99.1.- n si on wh e 9 t is ch rac e rrvideia 'extrem lv iiec iv dri an tha th ef ective e e at n th rive i inc ease vbv providing l-sl sht foi .i-film ebetween th p ri h r @Q th spinne Whee 2 n .s .nne 1 i .l :li r u thermore, it has been found that by the use of the oil film, the life of the roll 16 is materially increased.

Due to the fact that when the bottle support is in its inverted position, th cam for maintaining the same in its upright position is entirely removed from contact with the roller l3, the entire weight of the bottle support would be normally taken by the spinner roll l6 while in engagement with the wheel H. This would place an undue strain on the bearings for the shaft and also as the bottles move from their upright to their inverted position, there would be a tendency for the spinner roll [6 to engage the spinner wheel I! with somewhat of a blow, tending to create fiat spots in the spinner roll I6. In order to prevent this, I provide means whereby a certain portion of the weight of the inverted bottle and support is taken by an adjustable stop. To this end, the yoke 5 is provided with an extended lip adapted, when the bottle support is swun to its inverted position, to engage an adjustable stop 2| threaded through the supporting arm 22 extending radially outward from the turret l and embraced by the yoke 5. This top preferably takes the form of a threaded screw, which may be threaded through the car 22 for adjustment purposes and which, after having been adjusted, may be locked in position by a lock nut 23. Due to this adjustable stop, a very nice friction contact may be provided between th driving wheel i1 and the spinner roll I6. The pressure between these two parts may be adjusted sufficiently to eifect a proper friction drive and at the same time, the pressure is not so great as to cause undue wear on the bearings of the shaft carrying the spinner roll or to cause a flattening of the periphery of the spinne roll, when the bottle moves to an inverted position. Furthermore, this adjustable stop provides a stop which may be adjusted to compensate for different weights of bottles carried on the bottle support. Furthermore, by nicely adjusting the stop to obtain just the proper friction engagement between the roll it and the wheel H, the load on the drivin motor may be materially reduced.

As heretofore pointed out, it has been found highly desirable to maintain a film of oil between the driving wheel I1 and the spinner roll 16 and to this end, I have provided an oiling means whereby as the bottle holders are in their upright position, a small amount of lubricant may be automatically applied to the spinner roll iii. For accomplishing this result, I provide an oiling nozzle 24 threaded through the support 25 for the cam l4 and in the path of movement of each of the spinner rolls l6. The end of this nozzle is provided with a ball 26 maintained in position by crimping the end of the nozzle over, and this ball is biased in a closed position, that is against its seat formed by the crimping of the end of the nozzle over, through the medium of a plunger 21 biased by a spring 28. This plunger is provided with suitable grooves 29 longitudinally thereof to permit the passage of oil thereby. The nozzle is connected to a suitable piping 30 with an oil cup 3|. Gravity of the oil in the oil cup 3| Will tend to force the oil or lubricant out through the end of the nozzle 24. However, under normal conditions, the ball 26 will maintain the end of the nipple closed to prevent the escape of oil. As the spirmer roll l6 moves into engagement with the ball 26 however, this ball will be moved 01f its seat for the period of engagement and a certain proportion of the oil will flow out and onto the spinner roll. As soon as the spinner roll moves out of contact with the ball, the ball will automatically close the valve again.

A suitable worktable is disposed adjacent the mixing structure, heretofore described, and arranged tangentially to the line of movement of the bottle holders and traveling on this worktable, is a straight line conveyor 32 which brings the bottles or other containers from a suitable filling machine and removes the bottles from the mixing apparatus. For removing the bottles from this conveyor, I provide an infeed star 33 which remove the bottles from the conveyor and delivers the same to the bottle holders and I likewise provide an outfeed star 34 which removes the bottles from the bottle holders, after the contents have been mixed and again delivers the same to the conveyor. These star wheels are respectively driven by sprockets 35 and 36 mounted sprockets are driven by a continuous sprocket chain 38 passing over a driving sprocket 39 driven through the medium of a gear drive 40. The tension of the sprocket chain 38 is adjusted through the medium of an idler 4| adjustably mounted on an arm 42. To this end, the adjustable arm 42, supported on a part 43 of the frame of the machine, is provided with a downwardly extending bearing stud 44, the lower end of which is provided with a vaned impeller 45 of an oil pump. Surrounding this stud 44 is a sleeve 46 to which is keyed the sprocket 4|. The lower end of this sleeve is provided with a pump casing 41 having an'intake opening 48 and an outlet 49. This outlet in turn communicates with a vertical port or channel 58, which in turn communicates with a channel 5| between the sleeve and the hub of the sprocket 4i, and extending to the top of the sprocket. The pump thus formed projects into an oil sump 52, in which is maintained a suitable supply of oil and which is formed in a pan 53 lying beneath the sprocket chain. It is therefore,-

apparent that during the rotation of the sleeve 46, oil will be received by the pump in the inlet opening 48 forced up through the channels and 5| and out over the top of the sprocket wheel 4|, flowing on to the sprocket wheel and chain passing over the same, thereby maintaining the sprocket wheel and chain fairly lubricated.

The arm 42 carrying the sprocket wheel is clamped to a portion of the frame by means of a clamping nut 54, operating in a slot 55 in the arm 42, whereby the idler 4! may be adjusted to adiust the tension of the chain 38.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mixing apparatus, a base, a rotary table, means on said table to support and grip a container, means for alternately moving said gripping and supporting means to inverted and upright positions, means on said supporting and gripping means for rotating the container while the supporting and gripping means is in an inverted position, including a plastic roller, a driving wheel disposed beneath said table and frictionally engaged by said plastic roller when the supporting and gripping means is in its inverted position, and means positioned in the path of movement of said supporting and gripping means in advance of its movement to inverted position, while in its upright position, for intermittently applying a lubricant to the periphery of said roller.

2. In a mixing apparatus, a base, a rotary table supported on said base, means on said table to support and grip a container, means for alternately moving said gripping and supporting means to inverted and upright positions, means on said supporting and gripping means for rotating the container While in an inverted position, including a plastic roller, a driving wheel disposed beneath said table and frictionally engaged by said plastic roller, when the supporting and gripping means is in its inverted position, a lubricant feed nozzle positioned in the path of movement of said supporting and gripping means and in advance of its movement to inverted position, as the same moves with the table and a ball valve normally closing said nozzle and positioned to be engaged by said roller, while the supporting and gripping means is in an upright position to open said valve and apply lubricant to the periphery of said roller.

3. In a device of the character described, means for delivering containers to and removing the same from a mixing machine having a rotary table, container supporting and gripping means carried by said table, comprising an infeed star wheel and an outfeed star wheel associated with said table and disposed to deliver containers to said supporting and gripping means and to remove said containers from said supporting and gripping means, a driving sprocket associated with each of said star wheels for rotating the same, a single driving sprocket and a driving chain passing over said star wheel sprockets and said single driving sprocket, an idler sprocket supported adjacent said driving chain and adjustable relatively to said chain for adjusting the tension thereof, a vertically disposed shaft for said idler sprocket having a pump impeller at its lower end, an idler supporting sleeve mounted on said shaft and having at its lower end, an impeller casing surrounding said impeller and having inlet and outlet ports, said outlet port communicating with a delivery conduit terminating above said idler sprocket and a sump supported beneath said shaft and into which said pump projects.

4. In a mixing apparatus, a base, a rotary table on said base, a container supporting means mounted on said table and hingedly supported to move radially on said table from an upright to an inverted position, rotatable container gripping means carried by said supporting means and including a rotatable driven wheel formed of plastic material, driving wheel mounted beneath said table and drivingly engaging said driven wheel when the container support is moved to inverted position, a supporting roller mounted on said container support, a cam for engaging said supporting roller to move said container support from an inverted to an upright position and maintain the same in said position during a portion of its travel, a nozzle extending through said cam member and a ball valve in the end of said nozzle projecting into the path of travel of said driven wheel While the support is in its upright position, a reservoir communicating with said nozzle and a spring within said nozzle biasing said ball valve in its closed position.

JAMES KANTOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 814,269 Brown Mar. 6, 1906 957,277 Underwood May 10, 1910 1,187,528 Howard June 20, 1916 1,369,452 Marx Feb. 22, 1921 1,778,789 Benge Oct. 21, 1930 2,216,089 Newton Sept. 24, 1940 2,290,562' Kantor July 21, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 262,131 Germany July 7, 1913 

